Work injuries can lead to far-reaching consequences. Your injury may prevent you from working for a few weeks or leave you disabled. Westchester, CO, has strict worker’s compensation laws in place. The intensity of your injury may be high or low.
Whatever be the case, you have rights to benefits and compensation if you think your work injury happened because your employer was negligent. If you are a victim of a workplace injury, it may be best to seek help from a Westchester personal injury lawyer.
What to Do After a Workplace Injury
“The Incidence of All Work-Related Injuries” report shows that the annual frequency of work-related injuries in Westchester has grown from a rate of 213 in 2008 to 241 in 2014. If you sustained a work accident, there are specific steps you should follow before filing for claims.
- It’s best to report the accident as soon as you can. You may also want to document the accident or injury with pictures or videos;
- Getting immediate medical care can help prevent the condition from worsening;
- File for workers’ compensation with the help of an experienced attorney.
The report also established that the most common causes for workplace injuries are slips and falls. Slip and fall injuries accounted for close to 22% of all work-related injuries in Westchester, CO, among workers of the age group 25-44 between 2012-2014. Other causes include being hit by heavy machinery or moving vehicles, contact with electricity, and workers trapped under heavy items that collapsed or overturned.
Rights After a Workplace Injury
Government reports show that close to 24.5% of Westchester, CO, are employed in the municipality they live in. Occupational hazards and work injuries could happen to anyone. Employees are entitled to cash benefits as well as medical care. The employer provides worker’s compensation insurance. The assistance of an experienced Westchester personal injury lawyer can make the legal process smoother.
- If you become disabled because of a workplace injury, no benefits are allowed for the first seven days if the disability does not extend beyond 14 days. However, you will be paid cash benefits from the first day of the job;
- Medical care is provided regardless of how short or long the period of disability is;
- Workers are entitled to 2/3 of the averageweekly wage whether the injury/disability is temporary or permanent;
- If the worker dies due to an injury or accident at the workplace, his/her spouse or minor children are entitled to compensation;
- The amount of compensation cannot exceed the prescribed statutory limit for each class of injury;
- If your disability falls under the category of “permanent partial disability” and involves hearing or sight impairment or amputation, compensation is discharged based on the legal schedule;
- If your injury leads to severe and permanent disfigurement of the face, neck, or head, you are entitled to a compensation of up to $20000;
Westchester, CO, laws assert that the time limit for filing claims for all occupational injuries except hearing impairment is two years from the date of the disability. The injured worker is also entitled to medical care.
An Attorney Can Help
Westchester, CO, has a population of around 949,113 and an unemployment rate of 6%. Most people work somewhere, and workplace injuries can happen anywhere. You need expert personal injury lawyers who can guide you and educate you on your rights and entitlements. Your attorney can help classify the injury under the appropriate head.
